JLPT N4 key terms

Arranging in advance to hold a seat, room, table, or ticket for a future time. Used for restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and travel. The verb form is 予約する.

A promise or agreement between people to do something at a set time. Breaking it causes trouble in relationships. Common in sentences about meeting a friend or keeping a commitment.

A personal matter or errand that must be handled, such as shopping, visiting an office, or helping family. Often used when explaining why you cannot meet or must leave early.

Knowledge or skill gained by actually doing or living through something. Used with する to mean to experience, and it often appears in sentences about past activities.

Getting things ready before an event, trip, or task. It covers arranging objects and getting yourself mentally ready. The verb 準備する often pairs with ～ておく.

Telling someone how something works or why something happened in a way they can understand. Used for instructions from teachers, shop staff, and written guides.

Talking with someone to get advice or to reach a decision together. Common patterns are ～について相談する and 相談にのる when asking a person for help.

To arrive or finish before a deadline so that nothing is missed. Frequently used about trains, appointments, and application dates; 間に合わない means too late.

To arrive later than the planned time, or for something to fall behind schedule. Used for people, trains, buses, and work that is not finished on time.

To become comfortable with something new after spending time with it, such as a job, food, or life in another country. The usual pattern is ～に慣れる.

To keep doing something without stopping, or to make something go on longer. It also follows a verb stem to show continued action, as in 食べ続ける.

To choose one option and settle the matter, such as a date, a dish, or a plan. The intransitive 決まる describes a decision settling itself.

To look at two or more things side by side to see how they differ in size, price, speed, or quality. Common in shopping and travel talk.

To look around for something lost or something you want, such as keys, a job, or an apartment. The thing being sought usually takes を.

To take something to the person or place that should receive it, such as a package, a document, or a lost wallet. The related noun is 届け.

For a machine, tool, or object to stop working or to break into pieces. It is intransitive, while 壊す means that a person breaks something.

Doing something carefully with attention to detail, or speaking politely to show respect. Used for actions like writing and for the style of speech.

Different from the usual, set apart because it is more important, rare, or costly. Used for days, prices, events, and the way someone is treated.

Something happening suddenly and without warning in a very short time. Often used for weather changes, illness, and cancelled plans, sometimes with ～てしまう.

To a much greater degree than expected; fairly or considerably. Used when the speaker is surprised by an amount, a change, or how long something took.

With a negative verb, it means something will not happen easily despite waiting or trying. With a positive verb, it means quite or fairly good.

Nearly all of something, or almost none when used with a negative verb. It shows an amount close to the limit without being exact.

A pattern attached to a verb stem showing that two actions happen at the same time and by the same person. The main action usually comes later in the sentence.

A pattern showing an action is finished completely, or expressing regret that something unwanted happened. In casual speech it shortens to ～ちゃう.

A pattern describing a state that exists because someone did something on purpose earlier. The object usually takes が, as in 窓が開けてある.

A pattern meaning to do something in advance so that a later situation goes smoothly. Often used for preparing before guests, trips, or classes.

A pattern meaning something looks or seems a certain way from what you can see. It attaches to adjective stems and verb stems, as in おいしそう.

A pattern meaning something appears to be true from information heard or from typical signs. It sounds more indirect than simply stating the fact.

A pattern meaning something is possible but not certain. It softens a statement and is common when guessing about weather, schedules, or other people's plans.

A pattern expressing an obligation that cannot be avoided, coming from rules, deadlines, or social expectations. The casual form is ～なきゃ.

A pattern asking for or giving permission to do something. In a question it asks whether an action is allowed; in a statement it says it is.

A pattern stating that an action is not allowed, used for rules and strong warnings. It is more direct than ～ないでください.

A pattern saying that someone has had an experience at some time in the past. The negative ～たことがない means never having done it.

A pattern expressing the speaker's plan or intention to do something. It is used for your own plans and in questions about another person's plans.

A pattern showing the stage of an action: ～ところだ is about to start, ～ているところだ is in the middle, and ～たところだ has just finished.

A conjunction giving a reason. It sounds softer and more objective than から, so it fits polite explanations to teachers, colleagues, and strangers.

A conjunction showing contrast or surprise: although the first part is true, the result is unexpected or disappointing. It often carries a feeling of complaint.

A polite request form asking someone to do something for you. Common in listening tasks where you must catch exactly what favour the speaker is asking for.

A phrase used to introduce a topic or to soften a request before asking. Very common at shops, offices, and phone calls in listening dialogues.